P410 Array Controller Configuration on Proliant ML150 G6

[ManBearP1g]

I’m building a home server box that I intend to use for backup storage and to house an assortment of VMs that will primarily support a hobby software development environment but also provide a means for testing a range of configurations.  I was looking for something inexpensive and basic that could run VMWare EXSI, but that also had room to expand down the road if my hobbies became more resource intensive.  For this purpose, I purchased a base system:

 HP ProLiant ML150 G6 Tower Server System Intel Xeon E5506 2.13GHz

to which I added:

4 x Seagate Barracuda ST1000DM003 1TB 7200 RPM 64MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive

6 x Kingston 4GB 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM ECC Registered DDR3 1333 Server Memory SR x4 w/TS 1.35V Intel Model KVR1333D3LS4R9S/4GI

I configured the drives using the provided array controller:

HP Smart Array B110i SATA Raid Controller

and I was off to the races, until I dropped in the install disk for ESXI 5 and realized that ESXI 5 did not recognize the logical volume I created using the B110i.  It turns out that ESXI 5 requires a hardware RAID controller, which the B110i is not.  Undiscouraged, I did some research and purchased this:

HP Smart Array P410 8PORT PCI Express X8 SAS Low Profile RAID Controller with 256MB Cache (462862-B21).

When it showed up, I dropped my new P410 into slot 5, reset the system, and got ready to create the logical volumes and install ESXI 5.

Nope.  I get Code 267:  “There are no configurable physical drives attached to the current array controller.”  It seems that my P410 is unaware of my Seagate Barracudas.  This suggests to me that either the drives are incompatible with the controller, which I think is unlikely considering the ubiquity of both the drives and the controller, or there is some cabling of which I am unaware that needs to be re-plumbed for the hardware controller to have access to the drives.  As I am not a hardware guy and this whole effort is for me very much a learning experience, I hope that someone here can give me a pointer.

What do I need to do to get my P410 properly configured?  I’m doing this at the BIOS level, and my attempts have been made using the ROM based setup and the HP Array Configuration Utility that comes with the server on the setup disk.

Thanks in advance.

[Johan Guldmyr · Accepted solution]

Hey, I'd read the service and maintenance guide: https://support.hpe.com/hpesc/public/docDisplay?docLocale=en_US&docId=c01706108

it says "

[1] For systems with hot-pluggable hard disk drives, hard drives #1-4 are terminated into one connector that attaches to the Hot-plug SAS/SATA Module."

and the quickspecs: https://support.hpe.com/hpesc/public/docDisplay?docLocale=en_US&docId=c04111713

it says: "NOTE: HP NHP Internal SAS/SATA 4 Port Cable Kit (487734-B21) is required when adding Smart Array P410 Controller on Non-Hot Plug SATA/SAS server models."

I'd say you need that cable to connect the four disks to the P410.

[Moderator edit: Updated the broken links.]

[ManBearP1g]

Many thanks for the link, and an extra thanks for actually pointing out the pertinent verbiage.  I spent most of the day on Google and HP's website searching through reams of documentation for exactly that little tidbit of information.

Thanks again for taking the time.

[ManBearP1g]

The cable showed up this week.  It was very straightforward, and now I'm cookin with gas.  Thanks.